Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

This is a repost from a while ago, but since this is what I’m working on today, I thought I would share it again. Thanks to a bet Hubby made (and lost) with a co-worker, I’m in kitchen mode. Not that I’m complaining. I get to eat the goodies as well.

I’ve heard these called by other names in the past, Black Bottom Cupcakes and Cheesecake Cupcakes, but I’ve always just called them my Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes. Basically they are chocolate cupcakes with a drop of chocolate chip cheesecake in the center topped with cream cheese icing.

These are probably my most popular and requested cupcakes. It is another cheater recipe, but it is so easy and good, I’ve not been overly tempted to mess with it much. I have used a from scratch cream cheese icing in the past and it works just as well, but have yet to try this with my chocolate cake recipe.

Preheat oven according to cake mix directions. For filling, mix together cream cheese, sugar, egg and salt until completely smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and set aside. Mix together cake mix as directed on the box. Line cupcake pans with papers. Fill tins with cake mix until just over 1/2 full (somewhere be 1/2 and 2/3 is where these should be filled to). Using a regular teaspoon (dinner spoon, not measuring spoon) drop filing into center of cake mix. For mini-cupcakes, use only about 1/4 of a spoon for each. For regular cupcakes, closer to 2/3 of a spoon. Bake according to box directions. These are done when they have gotten just past the glossy stage on the tops and do not leave an indention when lightly pressed on top (mini-cupcakes, between 8 to 12 minutes, regular cupcakes are just a few minutes longer).

The amount this recipe makes really depends pretty heavily on how you fill your cupcake tins. It is easy to over fill these because the filling brings the level up when it gets added and it is hard to really judge by how much to use until you’ve made these a few times. I’ve made these enough times that I’ve managed to get it to come out at exactly the 7.5 dozen on the minis with the filing ending perfectly on the last cupcake. I used to end up with some filling left over or not enough depending on how much I added to each. It has been a while since I made the regular size cupcakes, so I’m not as precise on those. I highly recommend using something like a cookie scoop or even a large measuring spoon to keep the amount of batter close to the same for each cupcake.

It is completely normal to have the tops of the cupcakes all look a little different. Some will fill over completely and look like a normal chocolate cupcake and others with show some of the filling.

Since this is kind of a lazy recipe, I go the quick and dirty route with a huge icing tip (1M or something similar). Depending on how much icing you use on your cupcakes determines how many containers you will need. When making the minis, if I’m extremely careful to not over do them and keep it on the light side, I can do this whole batch with 2 containers. If you want a little more than that or you aren’t all that experienced and may need room if you miscalculate, get the extra one just in case. If you decorate by just spreading the icing, you will probably be okay with just 2 since it seems to use way more icing when you use a decorating tip.

Because these do have something similar to cheesecake in the center, I keep these refrigerated after they are finished. This does make quite a bit in a single batch, but these freeze up wonderfully, even decorated. For some reason, maybe because of the centers, these stay pretty moist after having been frozen where some cakes dry out. I haven’t had them in the freezer for longer than a month or so, though. Freezing them is a great way to have a quick, small snack on hand anytime, especially the minis.

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Author: TJ Fox

I am a slightly sane artist, amateur photographer, book addict, wife, mom and raging introvert. I have more hobbies than I can count, so it is beyond shocking that I manage to find time to do any of them, let alone most of them and still have time to do anything else. Of all the talents I claim, writing wasn’t one of them until my muse dropped the idea for a book on my head.
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4 thoughts on “Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes”

Usually for chocolate or vanilla, I just use the mix. Kind of the “why reinvent the wheel” kind of thing. Icing is usually another story. This is about the only time I don’t use my own because there is something about the cream cheese icing that fits this perfectly. My homemade one comes close to throwing the flavor balance out and overpowers the rest.